Packaging for dairy and similar products

ABSTRACT

A container for dairy and similar products, specifically liquid and semi-liquid products intended for consumption by young children, where the body of the container has an appropriate shape and capacity, and with an opening of considerable diameter, wherein the closing element includes a teat adapted to the opening of the container body and attached thereto by adhesive, heat welding or other means, creating a tight coupling. This teat is accompanied by a sealing element which seals the exit hole of the product, and thereby extends this seal to the container as a whole.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

This invention consists of a container for dairy products, specifically for liquid or semi-liquid products that are sold on a single-dose basis and are usually consumed directly from the package itself, such as yoghurt drinks, among others.

The object of the invention is to facilitate consumption from the container by young children.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

The aforementioned products are sold in single-dose containers, usually plastic, with a wide opening that is sealed with a laminated film, consisting of a layer of plastic and a layer of aluminum, which is fixed to the said opening by thermo-welding, and which has a small side tab for its detachment when the contents of the container are consumed.

Once the container has been sufficiently opened, its contents are consumed directly using the container as a cup. This cup or container is then discarded.

A problem arises with young children, who are not yet able to drink the product directly from the container, usually requiring the use of a spoon, with an adult extracting the product from the container and introducing it into the child's mouth.

Often, however, this process is rejected by the child, who does not like using the spoon.

This means that the process is slow, often uncomfortable for the child, and frequently results in the loss of the product from the child's mouth due to the child's rejection of the process.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention proposes a container for dairy and similar products that provides a complete and satisfactory resolution to the aforementioned problems, and is able to offer young child optimal conditions for the consumption of its content in the most natural way, namely with the help of a teat.

The central feature of the recommended bottle/container, where the body of the container may be of any appropriate shape and capacity, is that it replaces the abovementioned classical laminated, layered cap with a teat attached to the opening of the body of the container, by an adhesive or by any other means. The teat can even be integrated with the rest of the container to form a single-piece structure, provided that this teat has structural characteristics that allow it to perform its function as such. A special feature of this container is that the sealing element which permanently closes the container must be positioned at the exit hole of the teat. This sealing element can also be a laminated sheet, naturally considerably smaller in size, and provided with a gripping mechanism to facilitate its release.

The sealing element may also consist of a kind of small conical wedge that closes the exit hole of the teat and is attached to the latter through a frangible connection that allows the wedge to be easily removed, and allows the container to be opened when the contents of the container are consumed.

To complement the structure described above in keeping with another feature of the invention, and to properly preserve the teat during the commercialisation of the container, it is recommended that the body of the container incorporates a perimetrical reinforcement in its opening to which a protective sleeve is fixed by heat welding or by any other means. This protective sleeve, made of cellophane or of another plastic with appropriate qualities, extends beyond the teat and closes on itself, establishing an airlock to protect the teat. This will obviously be broken and eliminated when the contents of the container are consumed by the child.

Obviously this teat is much more attractive for a baby than a spoon or similar object, and as it will not be rejected by the child it will render the consumption of the contents much simpler.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complement this description and to facilitate a better understanding of the features of the invention, a single set of drawings are included as an integral part of this description. For the purpose of illustration and not limitation, a partial view of a container for dairy and similar products has been represented as a diametral section in side elevation, made in accordance with the object of this invention.

PREFERRED USE OF THE INVENTION

In the diagram, most of the body of the container (1) has been deliberately removed because, as previously stated, the body can be of variable size and shape, and adapted to the specific requirements of each case. The only limiting condition is that it must have an opening (2) broad enough to attach a teat (3) of normal dimensions.

As also previously stated, the teat (3) is attached to the opening (2) of the body of the container (1) by any appropriate conventional means, preferably by a coupling head as shown in the diagram and with the assistance of a adhesive layer (4) to ensure the relative immobility between the body (1) and the teat (3).

This teat (3) can be attached to the body (1) of the container once it has been filled, in a similar fashion to how conventional containers of this type are sealed with the classical removable laminated film.

In this case the sealing process is carried out through the exit hole (5) of the teat, which is closed by an outer adhesive layer (6), which may consist of a layered film of a kind conventionally used and cited above, which, as with the latter, will be equipped with a small tongue or lateral extension (7) to facilitate its release.

The diagram represents not only the sealing film (6) to seal the exit hole of the product, but also the other possible sealing option, consisting of the conical wedge (6′) which forms an air-tight seal in the exit hole of the product. This wedge is attached to this exit hole by a frangible joint which allows for an easy removal of the wedge (6′) when the contents are consumed.

A protective sleeve (9) to protect the teat (3) made of cellophane or of another plastic material, is fixed to the neck (2) of the bottle, preferably to an outer perimetrical reinforcement (8) thereof, by heat welding or by other appropriate means. This protective sleeve is closed on itself and around the teat (3) by a strip of thermoplastic welding (10) which creates a completely sealed holding chamber for the teat, thereby protecting the teat from the container's surrounding environment during the period of time between its manufacture and the consumption of its contents.

The container reaches the consumer in the state shown in the diagram, in accordance with the container structure described. It is intended for a young child, and the person responsible for the child's care will first eliminate the protective sleeve (9) and then open the container by removing the sealing film (6), so that the container becomes a kind of baby bottle much more attractive to the child than any other device to carry food to the mouth, such as a spoon. 

1. Container for dairy and similar products, specifically for liquid or semi-liquids intended for consumption by young children, where the body of the container has an appropriate shape and capacity, and with an opening of considerable diameter, wherein the closing element includes a teat adapted to the opening of the container body and attached thereto by adhesive, heat welding or other means, creating a tight coupling and the teat is accompanied by a sealing element which seals the exit hole of the product, and thereby extends this seal to the container as a whole.
 2. Container for dairy and similar products which, according to claim 1, wherein the sealing element that consists of a sealing film attached to the teat with the help of a removable adhesive, sealing the exit hole of the product.
 3. Container for dairy and similar products which, according to claim 1, wherein the sealing element that consists of a conical wedge inserted into the exit hole of the product in the teat and attached to the latter through one or more frangible joints.
 4. Container for dairy and similar products which, according to claim 1, wherein the protective sleeve, made of cellophane or of another suitable plastic, which is fixed to the opening of the body of the container, and which extends beyond the teat and closes on itself by a line of thermal welding or similar, creating a sealed chamber that encloses the teat.
 5. Container for dairy and similar products which, according to claim 2, wherein the protective sleeve, made of cellophane or of another suitable plastic, which is fixed to the opening of the body of the container, and which extends beyond the teat and closes on itself by a line of thermal welding or similar, creating a sealed chamber that encloses the teat.
 6. Container for dairy and similar products which, according to claim 3, wherein the protective sleeve, made of cellophane or of another suitable plastic, which is fixed to the opening of the body of the container, and which extends beyond the teat and closes on itself by a line of thermal welding or similar, creating a sealed chamber that encloses the teat. 